one hit a tree, two struck the palace. President and pre- 257
mier had fled when the Marshal's men entered the build-
ing. They could only take prisoner the Minister of War,
The government party wanted to fight to the last and
carry the war into the provinces. To their surprise whole
regiments refused to take up arms against their beloved
Marshal. Workers proclaimed a general strike. At Poz-
nan the railroad men tore up the rails to prevent a train's
going with loyal troops. The Cabinet saw that their game
was lost. Wojciechowski resigned and Witos fled. Thus
Pilsudski returned to power, helped by the army he had
created.
Between seven and eight thousand men were engaged
in that three days? fighting? three or four regiments on
both sides. People could scarcely believe that there were
so few casualties (about a thousand, counting those
slightly injured), for street fighting is famous for its casu-
alties. Pilsudski's force was smaller and not so well
equipped, but his popularity and the intelligence of his
officers won the day.
All Poland and many friends of Poland abroad watched
breathlessly to see what Pilsudski would do. In a coup
d'etat the rebel normally declares himself king or dicta-
tor. Not so in this case. The Marshal had taken this step
not for himself, but for Poland. Everything must go on
legally, once this illegal action which he had felt abso-
lutely necessary was finished. According to the Constitu-
tion, the Marshal of the Sejm was acting president until
a new one could be chosen.
At the end of May Pilsudski was elected president,
with two hundred and ninety-two votes against a hundred
and ninety-three for the Conservative candidate. That
pleased him as it legalized his coup d'etat. He thought
it a good sign for Poland that the vote was not unani-
mous this time, it showed there were fewer hypocrites.
He did not want an office that gave Mm no power, and
a second time he refused the presidency. His friend.